Preview: Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M in SEC Tournament Semifinals

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — A spot in the SEC championship game is on the line Thursday when the seed Oklahoma Sooners face the seed Texas A&M Aggies in a men’s basketball tournament semifinal.

The teams split their regular-season series, each winning on the other’s home floor. Texas A&M (21-10) won the most recent meeting 75-71 in Norman on Feb. 21, but Oklahoma (18-13) has won five of its last six games entering Thursday’s contest at Bridgestone Arena.

The Sooners advanced with an 86-74 win over South Carolina on Wednesday, led by 24 points from guard Nijel Pack. Pack has been instrumental in Oklahoma’s late-season surge, averaging 21.2 points over his last five games. He scored 22 points in the loss to the Aggies last month.

Texas A&M arrives rested after a marathon 94-91 triple-overtime victory at LSU on March 7 to close the regular season. Guard Rylan Griffen logged 46 minutes and scored 24 points in that win. He also had 14 points and two blocks in the Aggies’ victory at Oklahoma.

Oklahoma’s recent momentum includes an overtime road win at Texas and a dominant victory over Auburn. The Sooners are averaging 84.2 points per game during their current hot stretch.

Texas A&M has shown a knack for close games, with its last three wins coming by five points or fewer. The Aggies’ offense, which put up 96 points against Kentucky earlier this month, will test an Oklahoma defense that has improved in recent weeks.

The winner will advance to face either Tennessee or Alabama in Saturday’s tournament final.